You Wish
by CommonKnowledge
Summary: AU 7 years have past since Anzu fled Japan created a new life in NYC. Now working as a PI her latest case hits too close to home and threatens to awaken the demons of her past show her the possiblity that love might exist in her primary suspect, Malik
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer~ I do not in any way, shape, or form have any legal attachments to Yu-Gi-Oh. Except for maybe the fact that I am about to be sued for not putting up a disclaimer in my other story 'Thinking Over' yet. (Grins sheepishly) Anyway, enjoy!!! 

Ok!!! First chapter of 'You Wish'. I know I said I'd have this story out sometime in early July but I also thought I'd be a lot further with 'Thinking Over' as well. Sigh, life happens, but anyway here we go. Just to review, this is a AU universe with no Duel Monsters, I'll just be using the characters. It is also solely a Anzu/Malik romance fic. There is some one sided Yami romance. Sorry but as much as I love Malik I really really like Yami as well. Can't Malik and Yami lovers just get along? *Silence* *Cricket Chirping* Ok I guess not….. anyway here we go.

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            _The traffic that ensued in the multilevel office was still new to her and her mind was partially spinning as the file folders began to pile higher on her desk. She looked about desperately for a helpful face or encouraging smile and found none. Her fellow interns were bent over their respected files and working diligently. She noticed unhappily that her pile seemed to be getting larger as theirs' rapidly decreased. 'Not fair,' thought Anzu as she bent over the paperwork once more, 'they're just picking on me cause I'm a girl. I'm gonna be here all night.' She groaned inwardly at her last thought. She looked up suddenly as if on a whim and noticed a few of the older male associates eye her and obviously making very rude comments. 'Yes,' she thought as she set to work on the paperwork again, 'the last thing I want.'_

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            That memory had been seven long, short years ago and had occurred back in Japan when she was still Anzu Mazaki. Now she was Anzu Gardner and she lived in New York City, a torrent of life, and testament to the human spirit. It was funny, at one point in her life, her childhood really, she had wanted to come to New York to dance but that had all changed in the blink of an eye. Even back then when the 'event' had occurred she still had hopes of throwing her computer design ambitions out the window and returning to the stage. But they were mere memories now, really from a past lifetime instead of seven years ago. These didn't really exist or at least belong to her; she only entertained in wisps of them on days such as these. When the streets were slowed by the earlier rains of winter and business was slow. 

            Anzu was rarely alone to dwell on them but Yami had stepped out to get them both some much needed substance. Yami and his younger brother had been a constant presence in her life since six years ago when they had first met. She smiled at the memory as she drew a smiley in the fog created on the window by her breath and immediately shook her head at her own foolishness. But some habits died harder than others. Returning to her desk Anzu's mind returned to the memory of her and Yami's first meeting. She had seen him many times before, wandering through the police station that she worked at. She always wondered who he was but was afraid to inquire, her job was her life and she didn't want to risk losing it. She took enough risks by reading the files she drafted behind her employer's back. She just couldn't help herself somehow, the stories had fascinated her. At the time she was still young and naïve and curious as to the heart of America. Yami had found her one night late as she sobbed over the first rape case she came across.

            He comforted her the best way he knew how to comfort a stranger. She had let Japanese slip out as she thanked him and apologized. He had immediately changed after that, responding to her in Japanese. Their friendship began at that moment, she told him the story she had told everyone else that matter. She was escaping her abusive father by coming to America and was looking for fresh start with little education and even less money. So when she connected the cases three months later, between the rape she sobbed over and two murders, she thought that her life might change. It did, but not the way she expected. The NYPD had been furious with her for quote, 'tampering with the City's business' and fired her straight out. As soon as he had heard about it Yami approached Anzu about joining him. He took her into his home until she was on her feet, gave her a partnership in his business as for higher Private Investigator, and taught her all her knew. She in return had not strayed from him for six years and taught him a few things as well.

            Together their reputation grew throughout the city, state, and even country. They had flown out to D.C and California more than once since they had become partners in crime so to speak. Having a equal gender task force did nothing to slow business either. Often times men came solely for Yami's help, though most times he told her anyway. Many times young and older women came looking for her. It was however a rarity for her to say anything to Yami unless she need his help. She sighed once again at the thought of partner and best friend, and at the same time cursed him as she felt her stomach growl once more. As if sensing her agitation the object of her thoughts came through the door holding steaming cardboard box contain their Chinese food. Following him in was their blonde haired friend Joey Wheeler who was holding up two six packs of beer as if to be presenting a peace offer.

            "Hey Anzu," Yami said walking into their conference room which contained the offices only clear table and chairs. Joey followed him in, Anzu hot on their tails. "Sorry I'm so late with this. I ran into Joey and well, you know how hard he is to shake." It took a moment for the insult to sink into Joey who acted indigent and threw a beer at Yami who caught it easily. "Just saying," he trailed off winking at his brunette partner.

            "I don't care as long as I get some sweet and sour chicken, right now!" she said with a laugh. Joey seemed to enjoy her humor and threw her a beer as well after she retrieved said chicken. The conference that the three gathered in was apart of the four rooms they rented out in the old brick building. The room was where the interview their clients in confidentiality and generally met with their friends and associates. The room they had just journeyed in from was her and Yami's office, which was merely two desks and a few haphazardly thrown chairs. Despite this Yami and Anzu spent nearly all of their time in there while in the office. The other two rooms was a filing room on the other side of the offive full of paper work begging to be sorted as well as an 'assortment' of other things and a secretary's office connected to the conference. Yami had his secretary since starting his business and she was a nice elderly woman by the name of Adriana Clay, who inched to organize the disastrous filing room. But after six years together Yami and Anzu finally knew where everything was and were not about to change it for the world. 

            Today their secretary Ms. Clay was absent, as she was often now in her old age, and it was good thing to, because if she could see the way they were treating the coveted conference room she might drop dead. Lately Serenity, Joey's sister, had been working as the duo's secretary when she wasn't in class at one of the island's many colleges. But Serenity was not here today otherwise she would be joining them in the room for the improve late lunch. But she had taken a long weekend and gone to Atlantic City with some friends, much to her overprotective older brother's dislike. Most would wonder about leaving their office open in the middle of New York City but most didn't have Moses on their side. At the moment the giant mutt of a dog was begging beef from Yami who complied. Anzu had adopted the ugly dog from a shelter two days before he was to be put to death. The then one year old had grown to reach Anzu's hip and over the past three years had become fiercely loyal and went everywhere with Anzu. He made the perfect 'receptionist' to those who had ill intentions.

            Anzu grinned at the mutt and called him over with the click of the tongue. It took the giant only a few steps to reach her across the room. When he reached her the dog placed his head on his master's lap in contentment. Anzu stroked his head lovingly before giving him the remnants of her chicken. The beast ate contently for a moment before letting out an almighty bark and bounding out of the room toward the object of his search. Joey had nearly fallen out of his chair at the dog's bark and looked more than a little embarrassed.

            "I will never get used to that dog," Joey said indignantly. Yami and Anzu only laughed together at him. At that point the object of what both Anzu and Yami knew as 'hey I know who's coming' bark entered the room. 

            "Hey guys," the fourteen year old said upon entering the room, Moses tailing him.

            "Hey Yugi," Anzu called, Joey and Yami echoing him. The youth who looked like a mini version of Yami sat next to his brother who handed him two cartons of food. Yami had been twelve when his only sibling, Yugi was born. Yami had of course gone off to live in the real world at the age of eighteen and lived on his own for two years. Then less than a month to his twentieth birthdays his parents died in a car accident that left Yugi with large scar across his left side. Yugi, at the time seven was left to Yami's care. Yami had dropped out of regular college life, gotten a job in law enforcement, and went to night school. Realizing how much he hated working with the police Yami had stared his own P.I firm and a year later took in Anzu. Since that time Anzu had become a very big part of Yugi's life, and he hers. During their first few month together Yugi and Anzu helped to subconsciously heal each other of the wounds they had acquired. 

            Smiling at the scene before her, Moses beneath her feet, Anzu giggled inwardly. She did not believe what America had given her after she had run from so much(AN: Woohh Hoow!! Go USA!! Go USA!!! Sorry, patriotic rant is now over *^_^*) Even with the sins in her heart and the blood on her hand Anzu had made a wonderful and treasured life for herself in New York City. She laughed as Yugi retold of an event at school and thought how nice it would be if life could stay like this forever. Little did she know that her treasured world was about to come crashing down around her. 

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Ok, that's it for this…. Well should I call it a prolog?? I guess I should since it merely laid the ground foundation for the rest of the story. So do you guys like? Let me know k?? In other words, please review!!. Oh, and just to clearify Anzu if 25 in this story, Yami 27( he turns 28 later), and Yugi is fourteen. I think that will be it. Oh but as a warning this fic will deal with the issue of rape later on. But I mean much later on, so I will give you the head up.                           


	2. YW2

So yea…. Guess who got hit by that new e-mail virus and that Internet worm? Guess who just finished setting up her new computer after hers was fried? Well, if you haven't gotten it by now, that would be me. I really didn't mind getting a new computer, I was supposed to get one for Christmas anyway, but it had been very time consuming trying to transfer everything from my old computer to my new. Believe me I sat in my bed room for like ever with a computer on my left and on my right trying transfer everything cause fanfics aren't the only thing I use my computer for. Try homework for my first English assignment at college. I haven't even gotten to the damn place yet and might have to tell my teacher 'my computer ate my homework'. Oh well.

            On a lighter note, thanks to all who reviewed; Teafan123, kaz, Atlantis2 (got stuck with a stupid number too huh?), Lynderia, and Princess of Darkness and Me. It is appreciated. So I had the hardest time starting this story, hope it turned out well and you all enjoy this chapter. 

            By the way, some of the characters will have their dubbed names and others will have their original Japanese names. Why do you ask? Because some of the characters are from America and others from Japan….makes sense right? (Silence) Well then, that be all!

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            _She finished the paper work later than her fellow interns as she first speculated and was gathering her things to leave as night fell and he walked in. She was one of the last on the floor, save for a few janitors and other late workers, so she was surprised when the doors at the end of the hall opened. She was even more surprised when the boss himself walked in. She had only heard of him from magazines and News reports but she recognized the once child prodigy, now grown, CEO of the corporation she was interning for. The oddest thing of the whole encounter, flagged by hurried looking assistants the whole time, was when he noticed her. His deep eyes seemed to stare into her so much that they haunted her as she slept that night alone in her apartment. And when she returned to work the next day the eyes were still unknowingly watching her._

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She would have landed hard on her back as her feet were swept beneath her if not for her quick reflexes and more importantly her anticipation of the move. "You are getting slow and predictable Duke," Anzu called turning to face her advisory. Her sparing partner gave the tiniest of smirks on his hansom face. 

            "You wish," he taunted launching another attack on her. A small crowd gathered around the blue mats of the gym to watch Duke Delvin and his usual sparing partner Anzu Gardner go at it. Rumor had it about the Delvin Gym that the owner Duke had saved Anzu from a mugging and then offered to teach her everything he knew. However Anzu had severely beaten Duke after the incident and told the true story of how Duke had been hitting on her and she had kicked him in the shin. So he offered to 'help harness her power' and the friendship had grown from there. Though Duke still loved to tell his version with the mugging. Currently however Duke had Anzu's arms locked behind her back. The brunette struggled to get free. "Give?" he asked.

            "If only you were that lucky," Anzu quipped back and suddenly went limp in his hold before quickly slipping out of the hold and turning and slamming her shoulder into Duke. For a girl her size and weight getting into a body-to-body contact fight with a much larger stronger opponent would normally be foolish. But Anzu knew she had Duke off set and used it to her advantage. As soon as he was on his back Anzu moved into a 'kill' position over him. Duke put his hand up in mock surrender. Around the mat a few clapped before moving back to their own exercises. From beneath her Duke spoke.

            "It seems that the student had surpassed the teacher," Duke said in a fake voice, trying to imitate one of the old fight moves. (AN: you know the ones I am talking about right, the ones where the mouths don't match the words? My dad and I used to mute those and make up our own story lines. Ah good times, good times)

            "Oh shut up," Anzu said with played annoyance. "You say that every time." She stuck her hand out to help him up. He nodded no.

            "This is kinda nice, you bent over me and breathing hard. Kinda a fantasy come true." Anzu went red and she kicked him in the side. It wasn't the first time he had said something to that effect, yet it still got mad. Duke rolled over and rubbed his side. "I do hope you know that my health insurance has gone up since I started this so called 'friendship' with you." 

            "If I hit you every time you did or said something like that then you would be in a permanent body cast so don't even start on me." Anzu had by this time sat on the matt cross-legged and had her back turned toward him. 

            "There is a very simple way to fix that issue." Duke said sliding over to sit next to her. 

            "And that would be what?" Anzu asked with a smirk already knowing the answer to this very common joke between them. 

            "Marry me," Duke said simply without hesitation. Anzu laughed.

            "What would you do if I said yes one of these days Duke?" Anzu asked raising her eyebrows to him.

            "Well first I'd wake up, and then I'd sing from the rooftops, and then" but before he continued Anzu slapped him on the arm lightly.

            "Save the romance novel for another day. I've got to get to work. Unlike you I don't get paid to sit around here all day." She rose and smiled down at the now sprawled out gym owner. "Life must be nice huh?"

            "You know it is," he said almost sleepily and she rolled her eyes at him. 

            "Fine but I'm using your shower."

            "Go for it, door's unlocked."

            "It is amazing you haven't been robbed yet," Anzu called from the edge of the mat. Duke pushed himself on his elbows to hear and see her better. "Well see yea in a few, if I haven't been attacked by the robber up stairs." 

            "If you see him tell him not to take the beer!" he called to her as she slipped up the stairs behind the main desk that lead to his apartment upstairs. He smiled after her thinking of the times they had spent together over the past five years. The story he told of their meetings was, as most expected it, a fake up Anzu's was also a half-truth. He had first met her by hitting on her in a bar where she did indeed kick him. He offered as to teach her to fight in a half serious half pick up line type of way. She had left after that but less than forty-eight hours later her partner Yami had brought her to Duke's gym in hopes of teaching her some self-defense and fighting skills. The friendship, much to Anzu's initial disgust, grew from there and over the past five years the two had become close friends. 'Yet there is still so much I don't know about her' he thought and frowned. The only comfort to this thought was that the only person closer to her, Yami, probably knew as little.  'Well Yami and probably Yugi' Duke thought. After his friendship with Anzu had been cemented Duke had become friends with rest of Anzu's 'allies' so to speak. It had been a good couple of years yet as of late Duke had been thinking of Anzu's mysterious past. He of course knew the story of her escaping an abusive father back in Japan and then meeting with Yami at the police station. Yet it seemed incomplete and Duke knew nothing of Anzu before she came to America

            He frowned as the object of his thoughts emerged from the stairs and sauntered over to him. "That was quick," he simply stated. She gave a shrug and ran her hands through her damp hair.

            "Your hair drier is busted. I would think that with all of your curly locks that it would be and essential appliance." She smirked as he made a face at her. "Anyway if I catch my death out there I am blaming you," she tugged at the high the white turtleneck sweater about her neck in disgust. "I hate these things they are so annoying. If Serenity hadn't mentioned not seeing me wear it I," but she was cut off by Duke suddenly springing off the mats. 

            "Serenity's back from her trip to Atlantic city?" he questioned eagerly. Anzu rolled her eyes at him.

            "You know what Joey will do if he thinks that you are going after Serenity again" Anzu cautioned but Duke was plainly already lost in thought of the pretty young college student. For the longest time Duke had only known Joey Wheeler as Yami's next door neighbor, the owner of a bar down town that Anzu frequented, and a man he really didn't care for or get along with. However upon meeting Serenity Wheeler nearly a year ago when she began to work part time as a receptionist in Anzu's office Joey Wheeler became the brother he had to get around. (AN: I really don't like Duke/Serenity romances. Frankly I don't really like Serenity, or Mia for that matter, but if Serenity needed to be with someone I'd like it to be Honda. But hell this is only the second chapter! See the possibilities?) Anzu shook her head in disgust. "I am out of here before those thoughts go any further" Anzu said walking away.

            "Hey you still up for dinner tonight?" Duke called after her.

            "Sorry no, I'm meeting with a new client today and want to get a head start on it," seeing his expression Anzu added, "you know how I am. Anyway tomorrow night?" Duke nodded and Anzu said her goodbyes before walking the four blocks to her office. When she arrived she was nearly knocked over by Moses and was bombarded by Ms Clay scolding here for being out so late. She detangled herself from both and moved to her office, Moses trailing her with his Great Dane like stride. Through the conference and into her and Yami's office she made note that her partner had come and gone by the cold coffee on his desk. Anzu did not move for much for the rest of the morning or into the noon hour. Moses followed the same pattern, only raising his head and flopping his tail at Ms. Clay when she entered to inform her that she was going on her lunch break. Anzu's lunch consisted of cold Chinese food and old Gatorade. The midweek and midseason slump was always a good time for Anzu to catch up on the paperwork that pilled on her desk and answer non-emergency calls. At around three o'clock though Anzu noticed an odd thing. She checked the clock on the wall and then her watch but both reported the same thing, 3:05, and no appointment. Anzu frowned but didn't have a moment more to think about it when Ms. Clay buzzed her that her 3 o'clock had arrived. Moses got up with Anzu and moved to the conference room where indeed a young woman was studying the various pictures and awards framed on the wall. She was actually a young, attractive, Egyptian, woman who carried herself with poise and strength. 

            "Can I help you?" Anzu asked putting a hand on Moses' back, which seemed to be tense with apprehension and not fear or distrust. The woman in question turned to face Anzu, and she took her breath in. The woman was indeed beautiful and obviously wise, confidence seemed to radiate off her. Anzu knew it would be a good story.

            "Hello, yes, I'm your three o'clock. Victoria," she began but Anzu cut in.

            "No you're not." The woman seemed surprised.

            "Excuses me? What do you mean?" She asked.

            "You aren't my three o'clock," Anzu repeated.

            "I'm sorry but I don't think we have met. I'm not sure you can say that I'm not your client." The woman said all of this as a challenge that Anzu was up to.

            "My three o'clock is an older woman and her obsessive compulsive husband, meaning they would have been here as soon as it was three. That is the first reason that you are not my three o'clock," Anzu crossed her arms and returned the challenge. But she smiled confidently back at here.

            "I'm there granddaughter, I came in for them," she stated. Anzu shook her head.

            "Impossible. The Ventre's have one grandchild, a two year old out in Washington. So you see how this is a problem. Also if the Ventre's where going to be sending someone in their place, which they wouldn't, they would not send a woman of Mid-Eastern descent. Mrs. Ventre is a bit of a bigot and since she saw the towers fall has directed that toward Arabic Americans. The Ventre's are looking for someone that they believe is Mr. Ventre's long lost son after a one-night stand in the WWII era. I doubt you are old enough to have been apart of the Cold War. So this is just a few of the reasons why you are not and could not be my three o'clock. Would you like the complete list, I can go on." The stranger looked flabbergasted at first before smiling at her.

            "Well Shadi did say you were the best," she said. Anzu raised an eyebrow at the name. 

            "What do you know of Shadi?" she asked.

            "Probably as much as you do, he is a very mysterious man. May I sit?" she asked indicating to the chairs at the table. Anzu nodded but made no move to sit herself. Instead she moved to the center of the room to better face the mystery woman. "You must be wondering what I want," she finally said. Anzu didn't move. "My name is Isis Ishtar and I need your help Anzu Gardner."

            "That's why most come to me," Anzu said simply. Moses, against her legs still, felt the same tense feeling down his back and Anzu took note, not letting her guard down. "So you took care of the Ventre's?" Anzu asked letting her curiosity get the better of her. The woman nodded, black hair falling about her.

            "Yes, I called and rescheduled your appointment, I hope you aren't busy tomorrow at eleven" she said almost coyly. Anzu did not return the favor and Isis sighed tiredly. "Miss Anzu, time is of the essence, otherwise I would not make such a move. Especially for a woman in my 'position' I should say." Realization dawned on Anzu at that moment.

            "Ishtar? As in just had an show at the British Museum of Natural History Ishtar?" The woman smiled a pretty and disillusioning smile.

            "I see you keep up to date on matters of culture" she said with an air of superiority that grated on Anzu for some reason.

            "I like to keep up on all matters," Anzu returned quickly. "Now, lets stop running circles and you tell me what the hell your business is here." As she spoke Moses sat at her feet, panting and clearly still trying to decide if Isis was friend or foe. Anzu, was in debate as well. 

            "Well, as I mentioned earlier Shadi recommended you to me," she paused as if waiting for something but Anzu didn't even move a muscle so Isis continued. "I need your expertise in a case that is very personal to me. In fact it involves my only living relative, my brother Malik." She took a moment to stare at her hands as if trying to decide the words she was about to speak. This intrigued Anzu because Isis Ishtar's reputation preceded her. She was the director a museum show which was highly regaled as the best of its kind. She was also a forerunner in her field of Egyptology and was revered the world over for her intelligence in not only that field but subjects untold. And here she was, struggling for words in Anzu's tiny office on a dreary Wednesday afternoon. The thoughts both intrigued and chilled Anzu. Finally Isis seemed to find her words, "You see Ms. Gardner my younger brother has been accused of committing a crime that I am sure that he was not able to commit."           

            "What makes you so sure?" Anzu asked in a pessimistic manner.

            "You just have to have faith in certain things and I am certain of my brother's innocence" Isis said all of this with such certainty that Anzu almost felt herself sway from her professional neutral view onto her side, almost.

            "Well to help you Ms. Ishtar I need all of the details and a down payment, my secretary will assist you with that. Do you know if the police have a file on it and if so, which department so that I can get a hold of it." 

            "That won't be necessary," Isis told her stranding and pulling three thick files from the brief case she had carried in with her. Anzu couldn't help but be slightly impressed at the woman's ingenuity. Anzu stepped forward and took the files from her and began leafing through the top one. "That is all the research that I have done myself on the people involved and information that I thought would pertain to the case. Anzu flipped through until she came to the most basic report she was searching for, the police report. Anzu stopped as soon as she read the first few lines. She handed the folders back to Isis in a hurried manor. 

            "Sorry, you will have to find another investigator, I trust you can see yourself out" Anzu told her this and then turned to walk back into the office, Moses trailing her. She felt a slim hand grab at her but Anzu pulled herself away and closed her office door with an unprofessional 'bang'. However Isis didn't seem done with her yet and followed her in, all politeness aside.

            "Excuse, but I believe that I deserve an explanation," she commanded angrily. Anzu sat at her desk with a sigh and picked up a packet of paper on her cultured desk. 

            "It is simply my own personal policy, I can recommend a perfectly qualified investigator if you are interested."

            "No, you are the best. I want you," Isis pleaded, all composure gone.

            "I don't do rape cases Ms. Ishtar. And now I must ask you to leave" Anzu rose to move her out but Isis looked as if it would only take God himself to move her. 

            "I am doing this for my brother, I won't take no for an answer," she said her voice shaking slightly. Anzu felt a pang of sympathy but quickly push it aside. 

            "Ms. Ishtar, it is nothing against you or your brother. It is simply my policy and my partner's. I don't take on victims or accused rapists," Anzu told her. 'Though this is the first time I've ever had an accused rapist on my hands.' Anzu was used to the occasional broken girl or their family coming in pleading with her to help find the attacker. She had even had the family of a young boy come in once, that had broken Anzu's heart tenfold as she imagined Yugi as the little boy. For a while, all the cases that Anzu wouldn't take Yami would but it didn't take long for he too to grow sour over the cases and he stopped taking them on. 

            "But he didn't do it, I just know he couldn't have" Isis said interrupting her thoughts. There were tears in her voice and Anzu felt her own throat tighten up. 'I can't do this,' she thought 'I just can't. I promised myself that I wouldn't go back there. But this woman,' Anzu thought desperately. Moses looked up at her with his warm chocolate eyes, and Anzu knew the answers immediately. 'You have to put the demons away eventually,' something called in the back of her head. Anzu bowed her head in defeat.

            "Alright," she said so quietly that she barely heard it. Isis looked up from where she was staring at the floor, black hair free falling about her.

            "Excuse me?" she inquired hopefully. 

            "I'll do it," Anzu told her for the first and only time. Something changed in Isis's eyes at that moment and Anzu could read it plainly, relief. 

            "Thank you, thank you so much" she breathed. Anzu felt regret begin to pool in her stomach as she thought of what she had jus taken on. 

            "I'll tell you the same thing I tell everyone," Anzu said well rehearsed, "I guarantee nothing. But I will do my best." From the look on Isis face Anzu knew that that was all that she wanted. 

            "Again thank you so much, I won't take anymore of your time," Isis said as she moved toward the door. 

            "Ms. Ishtar," Anzu called out to her and the woman paused and turned.

            "I'm not sure how much I can do but I will try," Anzu said making a promise she wasn't prepared to make. Isis's wise black eyes studied her face.

            "You are fighting your own demons aren't you Ms. Gardner?" Isis asked and Anzu did not answer. After a moment Isis continued, "Please, call me Isis."

            "And I am Anzu," Anzu said returning the favor. "I'll be in touch Isis"

            "And I with you Anzu." There was an understanding suddenly between the two woman though Anzu was unsure if she had just made and ally or an enemy. 

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            A half an hour after Isis Ishtar had left the offices of Anzu Gardner and Yami Motou. She hurried through the busy streets of down town Manhattan at a surprisingly quick pace. But as shown earlier in the office of Anzu Gardner, she was determined woman. Glancing at her watch she knew that she would not be on time to her four o'clock by walking and decided to risk the temperamental speed of New York City traffic. She hailed a cab and was tended to almost immediately. She had no sooner given the driver her destination than her cell phone ring. She answered with a polite hello and was surprised by the voice at the other end.

            "So how did your appointment with Ms. Gardner?"

            "Shadi?" Isis questioned, and the driver turned in response. 

            "Yes?" Isis only blinked at him in surprise before hurriedly telling him that she was talking to a man on the phone. (AN: Little bit of a stereotypical humor there….aka Star_Chan being very stupid!!) Isis hurriedly turned her attention back to her tiny silver phone. 

            "Is that you Shadi?" She questioned.

            "You sound surprised to hear from my Isis," came the simple response. 

            "It isn't everyday that I hear from you Shadi, what do you expect?" Isis quipped. She then paused in thought. "How did you know of my appointment with Ms. Gardner?" she asked curiously.

            "I received a very angry letter in regards to your visit from her only moments ago. I would just like to both congratulate and warn you on a few matters." Isis did not respond and so Shadi continued. "I would like to first congratulate you on persuading Anzu to take your case. You must have been very persuasive." Still Isis did not speak, ashamed in the fact that the only reason Anzu had taken the case was from pity. "Secondly I must warn you not to dip into Ms. Gardner's past. The end result will not be good for anyone."

            "How did you" Isis started but Shadi cut her off.

            "I know that way your mind works Isis. Anzu's past is for her alone. She is a good woman and a valuable ally to those she smiles favor on."

            "You talk as if she had some great deal of power in the world."

            "In the worlds that matter she does. She has stolen countless men's hearts and is cause for intrigue the world over," Shadi told her. 'Though she doesn't even know how far her influence reaches' Shadi though to himself. "Heed my words Isis," he said knowing full well the intrigue that must be boiling up within her, "let Anzu do her work and let that be that." The line clicked dead on Isis's end as Shadi hung up on her. Isis's insides still boiled as she walked up the steps into the MET. 'What have you done Ms. Gardner as to cause the passive Shadi such intrigue?' Isis thought. 'This is worth a look into,' the normal perceptive Isis thought, not realizing that Shadi set up.

**********************************************************************

            "Ms. Gardner, you have a call on line two," Ms. Clay called through the interoffice phone nearly two hours after Isis had left Anzu and the files on her brother's case. Anzu didn't respond to her secretary but merely picked up the phone and punched the blinking number indicating line two.

            "This is Anzu Gardner, how may I help you," Anzu said tiredly through the receiver.

            "I believe that question is how may you serve that NYPD Ms. Gardner?" an all too familiar voice responded on the other end. Anzu jumped up out of her chair, successfully knocking it against the wall behind her, causing Moses to jump.

            "Lieutenant Duggan?" Anzu whispered into the phone unbelieving. 

            "Your memory is good Anzu," the older man said on the other end. Anzu suppressed a moan as he own boss continued. "Let me get right to the point Ms. Gardner, there was a little matter that went unresolved those six years ago when you were," he paused for a moment, "removed from our services."

            "You mean after you fired me," Anzu said her temper getting the better of her.

            "Yes, that is it. You see the matter was never resolved. And I believe that it is time that you we fix that." Anzu grimaced in anticipation.

            "So what? Are you going to sue me? That is usually done through legal services is it not?" Anzu asked deciding that if she was going to go down she might as well go bravely. On the other end of the line Lieutenant Duggan clucked.

            "You and I both know that if I needed to side step a few legs of the legal process I could."

            "So am I not in jail right now?" Anzu questioned.

            "Because that is too messy, and besides I've never disliked you Anzu, in fact it is quite the contrary. Anzu was feeling sick on the other end of the line.

            "You aren't implying what I think you are implying are you because I would like to inform you that all these calls are tapped." The truth of the matter was that the calls weren't called but Anzu wanted to scare the Lieutenant. He laughed again.

            "Don't flatter yourself. I am happily married," he told her and Anzu rolled her eyes and he continued. "No, what I'd like to offer you is a deal." This intrigued Anzu.

            "Deal?" Anzu asked.

            "Yes a deal. You see, you reputation has grown these past years and we would like to offer you a deal to settle this little misunderstanding between us." Anzu snorted and Lieutenant Duggan continued on as if he hadn't heard her. "We would like your assistance on a case, in exchange for us permanently forgetting about the illegal activities you performed in our office."

            "Illegal activities," Anzu repeated in disbelief.

            "Yes, illegal activities. Lets try tampering with police evidence, misuse of NYPD property, invasion of victim confidence, shall I go on?" Anzu bit her lip hard not to say anything. "That's what I thought."

            "What is the case?" Anzu asked tiredly.

            "A rape case, we've got a suspect but no evidence that will undoubtedly convince a jury on either side."

            "No" Anzu said firmly

            "Excuse me?"

            "Has that word lost all meaning today? I don't do rape cases," Anzu said firmly. 'At least not after the one this afternoon,' Anzu thought dejectedly. 

            "I don't believe that this is an option," Lieutenant Duggan said on the other side of the phone. "I'm not sure that you understand the severity of the situation here Ms. Gardner. Or do I need to send over some officers to see you right now with a warrant for your arrest?" Anzu smiled at the concept.

            "So basically you are blackmailing me?" Anzu asked.

            "I don't feel the need to call it that."

            "So what do you have riding on this?" Anzu asked.

            "I have no idea what you mean," he said this confidently but there was a slight quiver in his voice that Anzu wasn't even sure she could confidently say was there.

            "Alright, I'll play your game for now Duggan. But know this," Anzu felt a thrill down her spine, "I will find out what is really going on."

            "You won't find anything there Ms. Gardner," he said. "Just cop doing his job."

            "You said it yourself, I've gotten myself a reputation and that reputation does not lie."

            "I suppose that it is your choice to waste your time Ms. Gardner."

            "Whatever, send me the file. And you had better hoped you coverd your tracks well," Anzu cautioned.

"Is that a threat?"

"Threat is such nasty word. I'd like to call it hopeful persuasion," Anzu said

calmly though her insides were quivering with anticipation, like a wolf on the hunt. 

            "The basic file is being faxed over as we speak. Good day Ms. Gardner." There was resounding 'click' in Anzu ear and she knew that she had gotten to him. That would be important if she wanted to stay onto of the game. Still contemplating the phone call Anzu crossed her office and conference room to the fax machine in the secretary's office. She pulled the top paper away as soon as it finished, the ink still slightly. Anzu's mouth dropped open in shock. 

            "You've got to be kidding me!"

***********************************************************************

            "No way" Brittany Ronners said as she blew on her coffee the next morning as she and Anzu Gardner, and Anzu's dog Moses, walked down the street away from the vendor in front their apartment building. Anzu and Brittany lived across the hall from one another and Brittany was one of Anzu's closest girl friends. They had run into one another that morning as Anzu headed into the office and Brittany to her job in a Real Estate Law Office. Anzu could not resist telling her what had happened the afternoon before. She had not seen Yami or told Joey as she sat at his bar the night before. "So let me get this straight. You are guilted into taking this case," she paused as if waiting for confirmation.

            "Basically," Anzu said taking a sip of her drink.

            "Then you are blackmailed by the NYPD, into taking another case."

            "Yes."

            "However it is the same case that you took for this Ishtar woman. Now one side wants you to prove the suspect innocent and the other wants you to prove him guilty."

            "That's the jest of it, yes," Anzu said as they came to and intersection. The two paused for a moment, studied the flow of traffic before moving across, Moses keeping in stride the whole time.

            "So what are you going to do?" Brittany asked loudly as a taxi blared its horn at them. Anzu shrugged her shoulders.

            "I guess just have to go about it like I normally do," she said stepping onto the curb of the other street. 

            "You've done this before?" Brittany asked with a laugh.

            "No, I mean I'll go at the case with a neutral attitude. And not tell either what I am doing," Anzu said smiling behind her steaming cup. Fall had snapped on the city the night before and pre winter rain drizzled from the sky. Anzu would have killed for it to Friday but instead a Thursday loomed in front of her and she knew it was going to be an  'interesting' day. As they reached the street where they were to part ways the two woman stopped and turned to one another. 

            "Well good luck with that," Brittany said raising up her coffee in an ironic salute. Anzu returned the favor.

"Tell me, what is it like to have normal everyday job?" Anzu questioned.

"Absolutely dreadful. I'm working on the environmental zones for a new Mini

Mart in Jersey. Tell me what is like to be a private eye with a life of adventure that all dream about?" Anzu smiled at her.

            "Unbelievably stressful," Anzu said with a smile and the two friends parted ways.

***********************************************************************

            "You've got to be kidding me!" Yami exclaimed from across their office as he looked back and forth between the two files. 

            "My exact words," Anzu said leaning back in her chair. In the corner Moses lifted his head from his pile of blankets, trying to dry off from the morning's walk, and watched the two disinterestedly. Anzu felt the same way.

            "So what are you going to do?" Yami asked watching the brunette from his desk. Anzu was leaning back, her head hanging backwards so she was staring at the ceiling.

            "What can I do? I'll just do both," Anzu said this so simply that Yami had to process the words for a moment.

            "Excuse me?" he asked surprised.

            "What?" Anzu asked leaning forward and letting the two chair legs slam unceremoniously onto the floor. "I mean what else can I do? The police have got me in a corner, as much as I don't want to admit it, and the Ishtar's are paying a hansom fee. And you can't say we don't need the money." Anzu looked at Yami with the last statement and he turned his eyes away from her. With the slump in the economy and Yugi's private school Anzu knew that money a constant weight on his mind. And Anzu knew that Yami's cut from the case would help ease his discomfort. It would also set her up for a while. She benefited from the case whatever way it worked out, so did Yami.

            "You sure you want to risk a law suit on either side? I mean Ishtar finds out what you are doing and you are screwed. Same thing with the police!" Yami threw his hands up in frustration at his partner's lackadaisical nature over the whole situation. He shook his head at her and continued, "It is just too risky to work both ends. Tell Ishtar that you changed your mind again." Anzu glared at him from across the room.

            "It is not that big of a deal Yami, I seem to be dealing fine with it and it is my dilemma," Anzu said. 

            "No, I know it isn't fine cause you are being overly serious and you always get like this when you've got a problem but you don't want to admit it," Yami accused and Anzu looked away silently cursing him for knowing her so well.

            "And?" Anzu prompted wanting to know the rest of his thoughts about the situation. 

            "Well, if you really won't drop either case then I'll take on Ishtar" Yami said with a hint of reluctance that Anzu could just barely notice. Anzu felt her heart soften just slightly and she got up and moved to the other side of the room that Yami was now standing in. She wrapped her arms about his chest from behind in a good-natured hug. She laid her head on his back and she could feel him give an all mighty sigh. 

            "I won't make you do that. You've got enough on your plate as is," as she spoke his hands laid over hers enveloping her in warmth that she shuddered against. They stayed like that for a moment more until Anzu loosened her grip signaling him to let go. He gave her hands another squeeze before letting her go. "It will be alright," she said smiling up into his eyes. Yami could see himself reflected in her blue pools and wanted to reach out and give some shape to completeness that she always seemed to offer him when he felt emptiest. She moved away from him toward the door saying, "its 11 and now I have to meet the actual Ventres'." She grinned as she spoke and Yami couldn't help but smile back at her.

            "You drive me crazy," he said semi seriously.

            "Wouldn't have it any other way," Anzu said with a laugh and then she was gone securing the door soundly behind her. Yami looked at the door for a moment longer before looking at Moses who was still in the room.

            "I would," he said almost wistfully, "but don't tell." Moses yawned and closed his eyes to sleep, giving his opinion on the matter.

************************************************************************

I really don't have a lot to say. College is time consuming and I am still dealing with some 9/11 anniversary feelings. The next chapter of 'Thinking Over' will be out soon as well. That is all. I hope you guys enjoyed.                     


	3. YW3

Oh My God! Oh My God!! I am feeling so good right now!! The reviews I got (even though it was only 4) they made me feel so good!! 

**Darkness Falls1**, I love you fic, 'Midnight' and I am so happy that you enjoyed my story!!!!!!! Don't worry, Kiaba is coming, but in an…interesting way.

**Anonymous,** I wish I knew who you were!! I love Yami/Anzu romances!! But unfortunately this is a Malik/Anzu fic. If you want to see a Yami/Anzu fic then read and vote on my other story 'Thinking Over'. It was originally going to be an Anzu/Yami fic, but the reviewers were calling for Malik so I made it a triangle for people to vote on. Tell your friends so I can have and actual contest going. Please read that and thanks for the nice review!! I'm so happy!!  

**Biowolf**, thanks for the input. I find that happening a lot too. It's like chapter one 'hi' and chapter 2 'I love you'. Hate that kind!! Don't worry that relationship will be well developed. Thanks for the review!! 

**Liika**, I love your fics!!!!! They are so great and I mean it. Wow, you can write!! My favorite is 'Return to Me Salvation'. I recommend that everyone reads some of Liika's stuff. Sooo good!!!!! I am so happy, and a bit flattered, that you enjoy my story!!  

Ok so that's about it. I was so pumped by the reviews that I am putting up a new chapter so early!! I'm so happy!! Keep reviewing like this and I will be putting out chapters all the time. Same with 'Thinking Over', I hope those who are fans of this story read that and enjoy it as much. Ok, enough said!! On with chapter three!!!

***********************************************************************

It only took her about four days for her to notice the changes around the office. Her workload, instead of just being a little larger than those of her male co-interns, suddenly doubled and she was forced into the office for late hours. And he was always there she noticed. He would enter as soon the last of the regular employees left and walk briskly past her desk. She also saw him about more in the day than normal, and she could always feel his eyes, watching. She had at first, of course, dismissed her suspicions as paranoia. Why would 'he' of all people want to watch 'her'? But then why was the video surveillance always on her? And was it her imagination that the door to his office, at her back at the other end of the room, was only open when she was alone. And then of course, there was the letter…

_**********************************************************************_

            Anzu woke with a start off of her kitchen table. Yugi was watching her with a goofy grin. "Fall asleep again?" he asked mockingly. Anzu scowled at the teen.

            "Don't you have homework you should be doing?" she snapped.

            "Nope, unlike you I don't fall asleep on my work and therefore get it done," he quipped before ducking the wadded up napkin she threw at him. "Now, now," he scolded with a shake of his finger, "no need to get violent." Anzu stood suddenly and glared at him in an overly serious nature to indicate her joking move.

            "You haven't seen violent," she made a move to jump at him and Yugi ran backwards and out the kitchen door. Anzu followed after and was nearly knocked over when Yugi barreled into her from the depths of the darkening hallway. Moses barked happily about them trying to get in on the game. The result of Moses activity and the force of Yugi knocked Anzu clear off her feet and all three went down in a tumble. There they remained laughing uncontrollably for a few minutes before Anzu gained her breath back and pulled herself and Yugi back to their feet. 

            "Did I hurt you?" Yugi asked as they walked back into the kitchen. 

            "Me? Ha! It's going to take more than a fourteen year old and a mutt to take care of me!" Anzu stated though it was only half true. She could already feel a bruise forming on her left side from where she had landed on one of Moses' bones. 'But hell if I'd admit it,' Anzu thought grimly. "Ice cream?" she asked Yugi. The boy nodded and ran to the freezer to inspect its contents.

            "But I'm making the sundaes," Yugi said after pulling Anzu's Neapolitan from the freezers icy depths. Anzu agreed with a nod and sat back to her files. Being fourteen Yugi really had no need for a babysitter and was very capable of taking care of himself. However on nights like tonight when Joey and Yami would go out Anzu and Yugi often found themselves in one another's company. Yami and Joey had of coursed invited her along but Anzu had no desire to go bar hopping to check out the girls. She sighed dejectedly and looked down at the paper work spread out before her. Besides, how could she go out with so much work? It was at that moment that some of the papers were pushed aside and replaced by a sticky mass of syrup and ice cream. Looking over the caloric mess Anzu raised an eyebrow to Yugi who had settled across from her with his own bowl.

            "Don't give me that look Anzu, just eat it," Yugi commanded and dug into his own mess. Anzu sighed and picked up her own spoon poking at the bowl's contents wondering about Yugi. She wondered what Yugi thought about his brother going out and picking up girls leaving him alone. At the age nine, after she and Yugi had known each other for just over a year and spending a comparable amount of time with one another Yugi had told Anzu that he wanted Yami and Anzu to get married. Yami being in the room at the time had gotten as red as Anzu and quickly left the room. Anzu had been left to calmly explain to Yugi that she and Yami were just friends. Yugi hadn't talked to her for nearly a week, accusing her of being a slut, though he later admitted not knowing what it meant. Anzu sighed once again feeling sorry for the young teen. 

            When they had first met Yugi was still not over his parents death and Anzu was dealing with her own demons of the past. So the two did something that was only logical to them at the time, they healed one another. It didn't take long for their bond to grow out of mutual morning and into a deep, almost incomprehensible friendship. Every now and then the two of them just needed one another. It was something that Anzu didn't like to think about because it was something that just didn't need to de understood of explained. Anzu believed that there were different types of soul mates. The ones you were meant to love solely and undoubtedly and the people who completed you, like her friends. The people in her life like Yami, Joey, Duke, and Yugi. Anzu didn't have much more time to dwell on it when Moses jumped up, ears perked forward. A moment later she could hear her front door opened up and Anzu got up to investigate. When she entered the small hallway she had been knocked over in minutes before that lead to the door her eyes fell on Yami. She was about to say something when he beckoned her forward silently. Anzu, frowned and told Yugi to stay put knowing what was going to happen.

            When she reached the door Anzu folded her arms and waited expectantly for the request she knew Yami was about to make. And sure enough out in the well-lit hall way there stood a girl who looked barely twenty snapping her gum loudly. 

            "Yes?" Anzu asked plainly letting Yami know what she thought of the situation and Yami looked slightly regretful.

            "Could you watch Yugi tonight?" he asked not wanting to get into details that were blatantly obvious. 

            "Yes," was all the Anzu said.

            "Yami?" a new voice suddenly said breaking the testy quite. "Yami is this your place and how is this girl?" Yami's 'date' asked. Yami shushed her.

            "Emily, this is my friend Anzu and this is her place. Remember I'm two blocks away," Yami said as if talking to child. The blonde looked slightly miffed.

            "Well can we get going?" she asked, looking Anzu up and down and seemed to back off as if Anzu was no contest. 

            "Um yea," Yami mumbled. He turned back to Anzu. "You sure your ok with this?" he asked. 

            "I'm not the one to ask, but yes I'm fine with it," Anzu said hoping he knew how upset she was with him right now. 

            "Um yea, see you at work tomorrow. I'll get hear early and bring him to school." Yami said and Anzu couldn't help think of how Yami was acting like a divorced dad seen on those 'Lifetime' made for TV movies.

            "Don't worry, I've got it," Anzu said feeling more and more uncomfortable knowing that Yugi was probably listening. Yami seemed to catch on.

            "Ok, I'll see you at work then," and he and Emily left. The door from across the hall way opened revealing Brittany who watched to two walk off. The two friends looked at on another for a moment.  Anzu shook her head, and then remembering Yugi turned back into the apartment. Brittany followed her in and when the two woman go to the kitchen Yugi was sitting, trying to look as if he hadn't heard anything, or at least was not upset by it. Anzu and Brittany watched him for a moment before Anzu sat back down at the table. 

            "You ok kid?" she asked. Yugi gave a sigh before putting on a brave face.

            "Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" he asked though both she and Anzu knew the truth of how much Yugi hated when Yami brought girls back to their apartment. 

            "Hey I've got an idea," Anzu told him. "I don't have an appointment until 11:30 tomorrow. So what do you say we order a pizza and get a bunch of junk food, and have a movie marathon tonight? I can write you a note to get you into school late since they think I'm your sister anyway" Anzu said eagerly.

            "I'm not sure I'm in the mood for movie," Yugi started to say but Brittany broke in.

            "That sounds great and I've got a late morning too," she said. Yugi's demeanor changed so suddenly you would have thought he had been struck by lightning. It was obvious that Yugi had a crush on Brittany.

            "Then lets do it!" Yugi said jumping up out of his chair excited. 

            "Then it is settled," Brittany said before taking a bite of Anzu's uneaten sundae. She immediately blanched and looked at the other two evilly. "This is the worst thing I've ever eaten," she said while chocking. "Warn me next time you two! This is a plot against me!" she yelled. Yugi, getting over his laughing fit, went to inspect the bowl on the other side of the table. After taking a taste he seemed to come to some sort of conclusion.

            "Next time, I won't put so much soy in"

************************************************************************

            "I got a call from Yugi's school this morning," Yami told Anzu as soon as she had walked into the office the next morning. A surprising Indian Summer had settled over the city and Anzu feeling good as she arrived at the office that morning despite the work that awaited her.

            "Umm, thank you Alexander Gram Bell for making that possible?" Anzu answered unsure of what Yami wanted.

            "You know what I am talking about," Yami said looking angry. When Anzu remained quite Yami continued, "why was Yugi late to school this morning?" 

            "Because he wasn't on time," Anzu said walking past him and toward her desk. Yami followed closely behind, Moses smartly stayed with Ms. Clay. 

            "You know what I mean Anzu. You don't have right to just take Yugi out of school like that. You aren't his family. That right, unfortunately, falls solely on me," he said pointing toward himself. Anzu turned, hands on her hips and glared at him.

            "Then it is about damn time you start acting like it Yami!" Anzu yelled back.

            "You have no right to pass judgment on me Anzu," Yami returned.

            "Well somebody has to!"

            "Well that somebody doesn't have to be you!"

            "Then who Yami?" Anzu questioned. "Yugi? That boy cares about you too much to do anything that could possibly make you unhappy. Even if it means making himself unhappy."

            "What are you talking about Anzu?" Yami asked their yelling had stopped.

            "Umm let me see, does Emily ring a bell?" Anzu asked happy to see a flicker of guilt flash across his face. "What kind of message does that send Yugi? That you care more about a blonde college girl your involved in for a one night stand then him? And lets not even get into the type of example you are setting for him," Anzu finished hotly. Yami looked at a loss for words and stuttered violently for a moment.

            "That still doesn't give you the right to keep Yugi out of school. Or furthermore scold me about it," Yami said getting his voice back. 

            "You're right, it doesn't but what concerns Yugi concerns me. And if that means getting under your skin then so be it," Anzu said with finality. Neither said anything for a long time, just stared at one another in a duel of wills. Finally Anzu looked away. "Listen Yami," she spoke, "I just want what is best for Yugi. I know that I have no 'right' to him or anything like that but I truly do care about him and if that means stepping around you every so often then I'm going to have to. I'm sorry for over stepping my bounds and I'll try not to let it happen again." As soon as she finished speaking there was the buzz of the interoffice phone from Anzu's desk. Not seeing the confusing look in Yami's eyes Anzu picked up the phone and heard what Ms. Clay had to say. 

            "Anzu, your 11:30 is here. Shall I send them into the conference room?"

            "Ah, yes, tell them I'll be with them in a minute. Thank you Adriana," Anzu said before hanging up. She walked to leave the tiny confines of her and Yami's office but was stopped by Yami who grabbed her arm and pulled her back to his chest in a apologetic hug of sorts.

            "Anzu, I don't know what to say to you," he said as Anzu stared at the floor in front of her. The noise of her 11:30 appointment shuffled behind their closed door. 

            "What is there to say Yami? We've been over this more times then not," Anzu said know that Yami knew what she was speaking of. In the beginning of their odd partnership there had been a chance for some type of romance between the two. Yami, still healing from the loss of his parents and Anzu from her own dark past, had never been able to be in sync in that sense. As of late Yami seemed to be trying to find something between them and Anzu just could not see that type of love between them. Truthfully she could not see her finding that type of love with anyone.  

            "Why not?" There was tremor in Yami's voice that shook Anzu to the core. She sighed and pulled from him. She turned toward him, tears beginning to leak from her eyes. Yami shared the same expression. 

            "Because there can't be, I don't want to have that with you. I don't want to ruin what we have now," she pause for moment and studied their plain brown door. "I have to go, I have an appointment waiting." Anzu wiped her eyes for a moment before leaving. Yami watched her go, knowing the awful truth. He would never have Anzu as he wanted her. He picked up a picture off her desk and studied it. It was a shot of her and Yami at Coney Island for the Fourth of July two years previous. He put the picture back down before turning to his desk and his work. He must not think of this again for fear his heart might break.

*********************************************************************

            "I can't believe you did this without my consent!" Malik Ishtar yelled at his sister in their penthouse around the same time that Yami lost all hope to be with Anzu. 

            "What would you have me do brother? This is very serious and you are not taking any actions in your favor. You just sit around and wait for the police to get enough evidence to arrest you. At least with Ms. Gardner looking into it we," but Malik slamming his fist into the table they stood around stopped her short.

            "I'm a big boy Isis, I can take care of myself. I don't need you around to hold my hand like when we were kids!"

            "It seems you might Malik," Isis yelled back at him starting to lose her temper to her brother's attitude on the situation. Malik looked as if he wanted to say something more but merely growled in frustration and stormed out of the kitchen. Isis followed him out and toward the door where he was fishing his keys out of his coat pocket. "And just where are you going?" she asked watching his moves.

            "Out to live me life and made my own damn mistakes," he told her shortly finding his key ring and pulling the door open. Isis moved to follow him but he slammed the door in her face. 

            "Oh very mature Malik," she yelled at him through the wood before opening the door to follow him but he was already gone. 

********************************************************************

            "And that along with these five pages are," Anzu was telling her customers on her findings of identity fraud when Ms. Clay's yelling interrupted her.

            "You can't go in there sir," she was yelling at someone while Moses' booming barks echoed about her. Anzu stood a moment before the door swung open with an almighty crash that caused it to crack about the hinges. Anzu gave a tiny gasp as a platinum haired mid-eastern boy stormed in flanked by Ms. Clay who was trying her best to hold him back. From behind her Moses was trying to get to the intruder but couldn't for risk of hurting Ms. Clay. The boy, really a man, looked about the conference room his eyes sweeping over the frightened couple that Anzu was talking with and finally settling on Anzu.

            "Are you Anzu Gardner?" he asked furiously.

            "Can I help you?" she asked him, arms folded over her chest. From behind her she heard Yami open the door and enter. "I'm in the middle of a meeting as you can plainly see," Anzu continued. "Can this wait," Anzu asked catching Ms. Clay's eye and signaled her to let him go. She did and stepped back toward Moses who looked at his master for a signal to attack. Anzu gave none but kept her eyes trained on the intruder.

            "No this can't wait," he hissed. "I'm telling you to drop the Ishtar case right now," he commanded. Anzu raised a slender eyebrow but said nothing more. It was Yami that acted.

            "You need to leave now before I call the police," Yami said taking two steps and meeting Anzu who stood in the middle of the room. 

            "This doesn't concern you," the still unnamed intruder snapped, "My business is with her and not with you."

            "Does it matter? This is my office and I am ordering you to get out right now," Yami commanded and Anzu was slightly in awe. Even though she had known Yami for years it still surprised her sometime how frightening he could be. The stranger looked as if he might kill Yami.

            "This is between me and the bitch so keep out!" Anzu looked taken aback, she had been called worse but something about how he had said it surprised her. Moses growled low behind him as if sensing that she had been insulted.

            "I don't appreciate such language in this office towards me self or around my customers," Anzu said slowly. Yami looked at her suddenly realizing why this guy wasn't in pieces on the floor. She was holding back because her customers were in the room, Yami decided to restrain himself at this realization. But this fact didn't apply to Moses or the recently arrived Duke who tapped the man on the shoulder and the moment he looked behind him was knocked flat on his back. Moses was on top of him a moment, teeth bared and looking menacing.

            "And that is why you do not call my friend a bitch," Duke said purposefully and smiling at Anzu who looked disapprovingly at him.

            "Not necessary," she said told him in a motherly fashion before escorting her customers to her office. "Please let me take care of this and then I will be right back to you." The young couple looked so flabbergasted that they let Anzu shepherd them into her and Yami's office. When the door was shut securely behind them Anzu turned and hell could have frozen over under her glare. The intruder had knocked Moses aside with a yelp when Anzu turned around and she was on him in a moment. The man jumped to his feet after knocking Moses over but was quickly back on the floor thanks to a quick kick from Anzu. 

            "I taught her that," Duke said proudly as Anzu glared down at the attacker. Yami gave Duke an odd look before returning his attention back to Anzu who was bent over him now. She grabbed the pale haired man but the collar of his shirt ordering him up in the process.

            "So let me ask you what the hell you were thinking walking in here, bursting in on one of my appointments, practically assaulting my secretary, calling me a bitch and hitting my dog. What the hell did you think you were going to accomplish?" As she spoke Anzu walked him backwards into at wall holding him there. 

            "You are just lucky I was raised not to hit girls," was all he said glaring at her. Anzu shook her head in wonderment.

            "You cocky bastrad"

            "Drop the case," he ordered her. Anzu was about to speak but Yami got there first.

            "I don't think that you are in a position to be ordering anyone around," he said moving over to the stop on the wall that Anzu had moved him to. Anzu had since released her hold on him but he remained where he was.

            "Keep out of this Blondie," he hissed.

            "Insults are not a good idea right now," Duke cautioned moving over toward Anzu as well. The three now formed a semi circle around him. "You are clearly out numbered, three to one," a growl at his right side, corrected him, "I mean four to one." The platinum haired Adonis glared at him. 

            "Like I told Motou," Yami looked surprised that he know his name, "My concern is with Gardner, not you."

            "Who the hell are you?" Anzu asked though she had a pretty good idea of who he was. The intruder glared at her.

            "If you are as good they say you are than you know who I am," he said.

            "Malik Ishtar," Anzu said quietly.

            "Who?" Duke asked.

            "None of your concern," both Anzu and Malik snapped in unison though neither faltered nor seemed to notice, or at least acknowledge, what the other had said. 

            "So what the hell do you want?" Yami asked. He folded his arms in front of him and glared at the newly identified Ishtar. Malik ignored him and turned to Anzu.

            "Drop the case," he ordered again. When she didn't respond he continued on, "My sister had no right to put you on this case. It's my life and my trouble. She 

had no right to involve you." Anzu looked thoughtful.

            "Well it seems to me that you have no right concerning the matter of the employment that your sister has set up with me." Malik looked positively flabbergasted but before he had a chance to speak Anzu went on. "You see this is a matter of business between _your sister_," she said with empathize, " and _me_. As far as I know you have nothing to do with me other than being the subject of my work. You have no legal right to come in here and order me about. I however have every legal right to have you arrested, however you have enough on you plate right now without me getting you into trouble. Now if you will please leave," Anzu said gesturing toward the door. Yami and Duke looked at him menacingly to encourage Anzu's request. Malik didn't look as if he were going to budge until Moses snapped his teeth in the open air near his leg. Malik glared at all three of them before settling on Anzu.

            "This isn't over," he told her.

            "No, but it is today. Goodbye."  And so he left without more of a struggle. As soon as Anzu heard the door slam she simply put a hand in the air and said, "don't talk to me." She moved purposely toward the waiting area and found Ms. Clay still a bit spun up. "Adriana, get Isis Ishtar on the phone immediately and have her get down here now. No questions or excuses. Tell if she isn't here within the hour I am dropping the case and keeping the deposit. After that take the rest of the say off. If we need anything we'll call Serenity."

            Anzu moved back into the conference room where she stared at the still Yami and Duke in mock awe. Duke cracked under the stare.

            "I was just, ahh," he stuttered.

            "You were just leaving and I will call you later. Now out!" she ordered and with one last fearful look at Yami he bolted for the open door. Anzu then turned to Yami. "And you, clear out, I have a conference to finish." Yami looked at her blankly.

            "Don't you think we need to do something about this? Or at least talk about it?" 

            "Why? You were there, you saw what happened. Now out!" she yelled at him again and this time he took heed.

**********************************************************************

            "So you understand why this can't happen again Isis," Anzu said later in the afternoon to Isis Ishtar who sat across from her at the table in the conference room. 

            "I understand completely Ms. Gardner and believe me," she said with complete seriousness, "I did not think that my brother would have acted like this." Isis said this with false confidence. In the back of her mind she knew that something like this might happen, though she would never say it in the open.

            "On a more personal note," Anzu said leaning back in her chair, "if your brother has such serious issues with me working on the case than do you think it is wise for me to continue with it?" Anzu asked, honestly curious as to the answer. When Malik had stormed out of the office she began to wonder once more if it was wise of her to take on the Ishtars' case. Isis shook her head.

            "My opinion of you and your work has not changed Anzu. I would still greatly appreciate your help on this." Anzu nodded confirming what Isis said.

            "Thank you for coming to see me on such sort notice," Anzu said rising to escort Isis out. "Oh and one more thing," Anzu said as if she forgot but it was really a subject that she was avoiding. "If you could talk your brother into being at least civil with me it might help some. Having his view on the accusation might help. I noticed that his statements are missing from the work you collected." Isis shook her head tiredly.

            "He hasn't given one and refuses to, even if it may help him." Isis said almost sadly and Anzu could suddenly see the exhaustion in her eyes. Sympathizing with the woman Anzu gave her an encouraging smile before seeing her out the door. Looking up at the clock behind desk in the reception room Anzu groan at the time, it was only 2:00. Wandering through the now empty conference room, Moses meeting her half way, Anzu slumped back into her dimly lit office. Across the room Yami was talking to someone furiously in German and Anzu watched for a moment intrigued. When he finally hung up he looked at Anzu. 

            "You thinking what I am think?" he asked.

            "Oh, yes. Half day?" she confirmed.

            "Defiantly half day."

***********************************************************************

            Yami and Anzu met up with Duke before walking the numerous blocks to Joey's bar. The Indian Summer had brought out tourists in droves and the three had trouble making it through the streets in good time. When they finally arrived at the 'establishment' Yami knocked on the door.

            "We're not open yet," called a voice inside, "come back at nine."

            "Joey you idiot," Yami called, "let us in." A moment later a lock turned and let the three in. Joey's bar wasn't really his. He leased the business from a family in upstate and was saving his pennies to buy it out right. It might not look like much from the concrete outside but inside Joey had spent years and his life savings getting the place up to speed. It was quickly becoming a hot spot in the city with its cushy setting and newly put in dance floor. Anzu remembered when it was just a bar and grill with its regular patrons. She knew that she was should be happy that Joey's business was finally taking speed but it was odd to be let in ahead of the line and barely recognize any of the faces. Usually when she and any of her friends came they spent the night at the bar or behind it to escape the massed of 'beautiful' people as Joey mocked. 

            "Hey guys what's up?" Joey asked as all three took seats at the bar. 

            "Long day," Anzu and Yami chorused together.

            "Yeah, one which I still do not understand completely," Duke said on Anzu's right. "What happened today?" Joey suddenly looked curious.

            "Does it have anything to do with the Ishtan case?" Joey asked. Yami smaked his forehead into his hand while Anzu looked at him oddly. Duke just looked mad.

            "You told him but you didn't tell me!" Duke accused Anzu. Anzu somehow had the amazing ability to glare at two people at once and employed the ability now. Both Joey and Duke looked slightly scared. Yami too, looked a bit nervous.

            "I didn't tell Joey anything," Anzu told Duke. "And it is Ishtar not 'Ishtan'," Anzu corrected. "And furthermore," Anzu said turning on Yami, "why are you telling him these things." Yami looked lost for words.

            "Cause," he struggled, "cause he is Joey!" Yami finished lamely. Anzu shook her head and laid in on the cool surface of the bar.

            "Joey I could really use something to eat and drink," Anzu mumbled into the surface, "could you help me out?" Yami and Duke gave Joey a look and he went to go fire up the girl. "I think I've gone crazy," Anzu comment sitting up.

            "Crazier?" Duke asked.

            "Commentary is not appreciated," Anzu said with no real fervor.

            "So what did the sister have to say?" Yami asked reaching over the bar and squirting some cola into a plastic cup. 

            "What do you expect? She was apologetic, and nice. And trying to convince me not to drop the case."

            "An easy out, which you of course didn't take," Yami said. Duke looked suddenly as if he might explode.

            "Will somebody please tell me what the hell is going on?"

            "I'm really not in the mood to be discussing private business with you right now Duke," Anzu said without even lifting up her head.

            "Not fair!" he exclaimed, "Yami told Joey!" 

            "Well Joey is an idiot," Anzu said as a disgruntled cry rang from back in the kitchen, "and so is Yami for telling him." Yami mimicked Joey's cry before Anzu continued, "So you should be happy that you are one of intelligent ones who don't know." Duke sat for a moment contemplating.

            "So I am smarter for not knowing," he said slowly as if still trying to understand the concept.

            "No," said Joey as he put a plate of curly fries in front of them and a daiquiri in front of Anzu. "You're an idiot for not realizing that she is trying to trick you out of not caring about the case." Duke still looked confused.

            "Fine, I'll tell you," Anzu said disgruntling, "but you cannot tell anyone or mention anything. I'm sure it will only be a matter of time before the press gets a hold of this and goes crazy with it." Anzu took a deep breath and started. "You see it actually started in Boston but was given to the New York City police at the request of the 'victims' father, a prominent big business guy up in Maine. Owns a lobster company on the surface but I have indications that there are other things going on. But anyways, this guy's daughter, we'll call him Mr. X and the girl Sally for confidentiality's sake, was supposedly raped some time on Memorial Day weekend. And by, you guessed it, the guy that stormed into the office today. They didn't have enough information or evidence to hold him so they had no choice but to let him go. Now the thing is it is a he said/she said situation with no apparent end which is why they gave the case to Duggan down at the NYPD."

            "So that guy the broke into your office, Ishtar, is trying to stood you from getting the goods on him?" Duke asked and Anzu frowned.

            "That's the interesting thing. I was hired by his sister to prove his innocence so he really has no reason to demand for me to drop the case," Anzu paused in consideration, "other than his pride that is."

            "But tell him the real ticker Anzu," Joey said from the other side of the bar. Anzu glared at him and then turned to Yami.

            "Just how much did you tell him?" she asked.

            "Like I said, he's Joey!" Yami said stealing another fry.

            "Anyway, the thing is that like an hour after the Ishtar's hired me the NYPD calls and black mails me into taking the other side of the case. So on one had I have to prove and unwilling client's innocence and then turn around and say he is guilty." Anzu gave a heavy sigh and returned her head to the bar surface mumbling incoherently. Duke rubbed her on the back.

            "I've heard a lot of things in my day but Anzu, that truly sucks," Duke said.

            "Your insight is amazing," Anzu returned dully.

            "You wanna know what else is amazing?" Joey said suddenly. The three of them looked at him with moderate intrigue. Seeing that he had their attention Joey continued to Duke, "The fact that you had the guts to call my sister and ask her out after what we went through last time." Duke looked pale for a moment before smiling goofily.

            "Well if would be rude if I didn't call her after that last date," Duke trailed off.

            "What date!" Joey shouted. As the two continued on together Anzu and Yami looked to each other. 

            "So what's next?" Yami asked. Anzu sighed and looked at the ceiling with some consideration.

            "We start tomorrow. Bright and earlier."

            "We?" Yami asked.

            "Oh, yes. We."

***********************************************************************

WAHHHHAAHHH!!!!!! All I wanted to do was get this chapter out quick so that I could thank you guys for the great reviews. But college has got me so busy that I barely get time to write any more!!!!!!!! Don't worry, I will keep updating if you guys keep giving me so many great reviews. I wanted to have the next chapter of 'Thinking Over' out too but I just don't have enough time. But for those who like both stories I'll be working hard, trying to get out a chapter either once a week or every two weeks. Enjoy, and I hope the new school year is going great for everyone. 

              
  

                             


	4. YW4

The letter had been sealed in a plain white envelope that was stuck in one of the many files she had to process. So mechanical was she in her work that she didn't even notice it until she had gripped it with the other papers and it stuck in her hand awkwardly She had been curious but didn't open it there at her desk- she'd be in too much trouble if she was discovered doing personal things at her desk. And she knew this was personal, first of all it was addressed to her first name with nothing else written on it. And there were two other things that she wasn't sure should chill her or flatter her. A heavy scent of cologne wafted off the thick stationary. And through the paper she could feel the unmistakable shape and gloss of a picture- and for some strange reason she was afraid to see.

Dashing swiftly across the street just as the light changed Anzu threw her hand up as a bus blew its horn at her. 'Tourists' she thought to herself making it safely to the other side of the street. The bus blew by her and she thought she could make out Pennsylvania license plates. It hadn't been so long ago that Anzu had wondered around this city as helplessly as the tourists she now could barely tolerate. But it is amazing what a person can learn in such a short time when forced to. Yami had told her once that it was amazing how quickly she picked up life in the city. He had lived there is whole life and often told her that she functioned better then he did. It was probably because Anzu's life in New York City had started off in the place she had just battled her way down from Midtown to reach. Little Italy probably wasn't the smartest place for a girl who didn't speak a word of Italian and whose English could be horrible at times. But through the friend of a friend of a friend that had helped her get to New York in the first place Anzu had managed to get a job in a small travel agency and a decent apartment. But reminiscing was not on Anzu's agenda for the day.

Moving off the main street, a quick cut through a short ally, and down a set of stairs had Anzu in her destination. It was something out of a movie-a tiny Italian restaurant full of whispering Old Italian man who immediately stopped talking when she walked in. The oldest of them stood behind a bar in the center and smiled as she entered. Smiling back Anzu glared at a handful of the other inhabitants who had scowled at her entrance, apparently some of them still didn't like her. "Oh get back to your whispering you stuffy old bats," Anzu called to the group in the corner where most of the animosity seemed to be located. "How are you Tony?" Anzu asked upon reaching the bar.

"Not bad, not bad. Long time no see Ms. Mazaki. What brings you to our lowly part of town?" the old man asked.

"I was actually hoping to find Vito. Is he…" she trailed off feeling a hand snake around her waist from the right. Grabbing the webbing between the stretched fingers on her hip Anzu gave a painful pinch resulting in her unwanted suitor to give a little wail of pain. "I didn't like you six years ago, I didn't like you six months ago, and I certainly don't like you now Pancrazio so hands off." Anzu commanded throwing the hand off her and back to the greased up Italian on her right. The other man who had joined her on her left gave a loud bark like laugh. Ignoring the scowling pervert on her right Anzu turned and grinned at her new companion. "How have you been Anthony?" she asked the blonde. He gave a shrug.

"I can't complain," he told her. "But," he continued leaning in to her, "I have spent many a sleepless night dreaming of your beautiful eyes." Anzu grinned.

"And does your wife know of these sleepless nights?" she asked but didn't get an answer as the person she'd come to see interrupted.

"I thought I heard a familiar voice," a deep rich old voice commented echoing across the restaurant. Anzu spun a smile on her face.

"Its good to see you Vito," she said rushing over to give him a hug. She was one of the few people who could approach the mob boss so freely, let alone hug him without having a gun pulled on her. The old man returned the hug, lifting her up off the floor a few inches before setting her back down on her feet. "How have you been?" she asked as the mob boss slung his arm around her shoulder leading her toward her office.

"Things have been good, very good. But you," he said closing the door to his office in back after they entered, "I've heard some pretty interesting things about you lately."

"Oh?" Anzu asked actually curious as to what was being said about her. "Like what?" She sat down opposite of the desk as he poured himself a drink. Raising the bottle in offering but Anzu shook her head. "So what's so interesting?"

"Isn't that why you're here?" he asked sitting down looking at her curiously. Anzu returned his look. "I heard you were getting into some pretty heavy stuff involving the Ishtars." Anzu laughed.

"Does anything ever stay quite in this city?"

"Not when it involves people like you and me," the Italian mob boss said with a grin.

"Speaking of which I heard that you had a very good week last month." Anzu was referring to a deal involving the moment of a Vincent Van Gogh original that had been sold a private buyer through the Salzono family which Vito was currently running. "How'd you get a hold of that painting anyway?"

"You know, I have some good connections," he trailed off.

"Hm? Connections huh?" she asked giving him an accusing look.

"Don't give me that look Anzu. You know that my family has been legitimate for years now. We just don't go through all the same, er, protocols that normal people do." Anzu just snorted.

"Now, what is everyone saying about me?" Anzu asked leaning back in her chair.

"Apparently you made some members of the Chinese mafia in LA very angry."

"That was over four months ago," Anzu lamented, "news moves slow cross country I guess. So nothing else?"

"Not that I've heard. Why, what are you into now?" he asked looking interested.

"That's not really important, but I was wondering if you could tell me if you'd heard about something that had happened up in Boston over the Memorial Day weekend?"

"Now Anzu," Vito scolded, "how long have you known me?" Anzu shrugged. "It's been over six years and you think that I can't tell when you are lying to me? And more importantly do you think that I don't know when you are actually dying to tell me? Like that first day we met?" Anzu looked up at the ceiling to avoid his gaze.

"If I remember correctly it was right after I broke your pervert son's hand." Anzu reminisced which earned a laugh from Vito.

"And he still hasn't changed has he," Vito mused. Anzu shook her head and looked back at him. When Anzu had started living and working in little Italy she had the bad luck to meet up with Pancrazio Salzono and a group of his pervert friends on the way home from work. She had broken his hand when he grabbed her butt and had then run home. But it had not ended there. She had been greeted at work the next day by members of the Salzono 'family' and dragged to meet the head of the family Vito. Despite all that Anzu had been through in the previous months she still had a temper and not really understanding the severity of her situation and so had fought every inch of the way, and as fate would have it managed to punch out one of her captors. That's what must have amused Vito so much about Anzu, the fact that she didn't give up until the last possible moment. In fact when she had been literally thrown into his office she was swearing quite profusely in Japanese. It hadn't taken long for the truth of Anzu and Pancrazio to come out and for Vito to come to like Anzu easily. Vito and Anzu had talked for hours after their first meeting and Anzu made her first powerful friend in the city. He knew everything about her and she knew as much about him as was safe to know.

And over her years in New York, even after she had left her little apartment in Little Italy, she and Vito had stayed close- helping each other as need be- and providing Anzu with a family, no matter how unorthodox it may seemed. Vito had also proven a valuable ally and informant when Anzu had made her sudden career change. But Anzu had never introduced Yami and Vito. Seemed odd to her to cross two worlds. Despite that she still keep Vito and the Salzono family(well most of it) in her life and in her heart, Yami and Vito were apart of two worlds. One world that Anzu was trying to preserve and one she was trying to forget.

Shaking the thoughts loose from her head Anzu smiled at Vito. "No, no. He is defiantly still a pervert." Vito sighed.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with him," Vito seemed to muse to himself. "But anyway Boston on Memorial Day huh?" Anzu nodded and he continued. "Well what do you need?"

"Did you have anyone up there, or even around there at the time? I've got to know why it has taken this long to have this story brought to anyone's attention. Let alone the press." Vito looked interested.

"Press isn't saying anything? Odd, what kind of case is this again?" Anzu hesitated telling him. Out of anyone in the city he would react the most to her answer. He was the only one who knew her whole story. Why she had come to America in the first place.

"Well, as odd as this may sound coming from me it's a rape case." Silence occupied the office for a moment and Vito looked thoughtful.

"Up in Boston," he whispered to himself. "This doesn't have anything to do with the Barros family does it?"

"How did you," Anzu started to say but Vito shaking his head and giving her a look, the look, made her stop.

"I know all about it. They're accusing the Ishtar boy of raping Barros' oldest daughter Madeira right?" Anzu blinked unbelievingly at the older Italian.

"You're amazing," she muttered amazed. "But how did you know?" she asked answering her own question in her head before the words were even completely out of her mouth. There was something big going on here, something more then she knew as of yet. Vito did not keep updated on things that did not matter to him or to his business affairs. "So what's going on with this? What am I missing?"

"I think its just best that you stay out of this Anzu," Vito told her looking uncomfortable suddenly. "Why are you into this anyway?" When Anzu didn't answer he continued, "All that I can tell you is that this supposed attack isn't all that it going on with the Barros'. Something bigger is going on and I'm not sure what. All I know is that I don't want a part of it. Its much," he seemed to have a problem finding the right words, "much too dirty."

"Hmm," was all Anzu could come up with. This gave her something to think about. Vito was obviously uncomfortable about something that he didn't want to divulge to her. Anzu sighed thanked Vito porously for seeing her on such short notice while he insisted that she come by more often. Anzu grinned as she opened to the door and stepped to the side. Pancrazio came tumbling into the room, obviously unprepared for the door to open. Behind him Anthony and the rest of the restaurant burst into laughter. Glancing back at Vito who was shaking his head in disgust Anzu grinned and then kneeled down to Pancrazio's level. "You suck at this. I think it's about time you give up," Anzu said patting his greasy head and stepping over him. "See you all later," she called walking out of the restaurant leaving a fuming Pancrazio behind who it seemed had finally had enough.

"But I don't wanna," Yami whined looking out at Anzu from behind a partially closed door, all decked out in running gear. She scowled at him struggling to keep the door that separated them open.

"Yami you lazy bum! Come running with me!" she said puffing throwing her full weight against the door finally getting it open. The only reason that this worked was that Yami was still half asleep and had been stretching from a yawn. They both went down in a tumble. Somehow Anzu managed to land under Yami and they both let out a rather large 'umph' of air. Realizing the position they were in Yami immediately pretended to be asleep and gave a few exaggerated snores. Anzu laughed and tried to push him up off of her. He only went limp which caused more of his weight to fall on her. "Ahh, come on," Anzu said between laughs still trying to lift him off of her. He didn't make a move and Anzu managed to wrestle a hand free and poked him in between the ribs. Yami's crimson eyes immediately shot open.

"Don't, don't, don't! That tickles," he reprimanded her catching the offending hand. He looked down at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh! Don't do that! You know that I hate that I can't do that!" He only responded by lifting the other and then the opposite again making them look like they were dancing. Anzu gave a bark like laugh. (AN: one of my best guy friends does that all the time just to piss me off. I'm so mad that I can't do that!!) Anzu continued to laugh until Yami joined her. After a moment she tried to push him off of her again and groaned. "You really do need to go running with me. You are getting really heavy."

"Hey! I am still the buff specimen that I always have been," he told her not moving an inch. Anzu snorted and Yami settled down again. He rested his head right under her chin, his chin resting just above her chest and made a contented sound. Anzu didn't fight him. Physical contact had never been an issue before between them. The only thing they really didn't do was see each other naked- except for that one time and Yami had sported a black eye for it.

"Hmm, you're warm. I could fall back asleep right here," he told her. His apartment door was still open behind them and a few people had walked by making noises and some stopped to look. Anzu gave a sigh thinking that it would be nice just to go back to sleep like this but she really wanted to run.

"Come on Mouto," Anzu scolded, "we're going running." She made to push him away again and this time he gave by simply rolling off of her to the side. He was wedged on his side next to the wall and her body.

"You are a slave driver," he sighed and struggled to his feet. Half and hour later the two of them had walked over to Central Park and were running along one of the paths, breathing in the sharp morning air as Anzu updated Yami on what she knew about the Ishtar case.

"So something fairly big could be going on along with this rape case?" he confirmed. Anzu nodded watching the path ahead of her for a moment.

"The Barros are a pretty big family. They started out with lobsters I guess up in Maine so it no surprise that they were in Boston at that museum opening in May. According to public records they do a lot of philanthropy work and the main reason they were in Boston was for the 'gala' for the children's hospital- the museum opening was just a publicity stunt. And you can't say museum without hearing from the Ishtar's. If they aren't opening one then they have an exhibit in the it." Anzu sighed and picked her feet up a little higher to avoid tripping over a root. Yami fooled suit.

"So are we going up there?" he asked sounding a little wounded. Anzu just shrugged.

"I think it's a little early for that. Lets get some more info first and then if we need to we'll go up there but if we can I'll avoid it." Anzu gave a little shudder. "I hate Boston- the people up there are just so weird." Yami laughed obviously remembering a weekend a few years back when they went up there for the 4th and she had been groped by a drunk man in a cartoon costume. Anzu seemed to have bad luck with men wanting to grab her ass. "You're an ass whole Yami," Anzu muttered at her still laughing friend who a moment later was down in a heap in the ground. Anzu stopped and turned back to look at him his feet tangled with an uprooted branch in the path. Both were silent for a moment before the both resumed laughing so hard Anzu joined him in a heap on the path.

"Morning Serenity!" Anzu chirped as she and Yami entered the office later in the morning. The young college student looked up and smiled.

"How you guys doing?" she asked looking up from the computer. While Ms. Clay would work hard, long, forever with physical paper work (well proper paper work that was filed and filled out completely and correctly, much unlike Yami and Anzu's) Serenity did everything that could be done electronically. Which was good since her handwriting was illegible.

"How was Atlantic City?" Yami asked hanging up his coat.

"Oh it was nice, but its good to be back" Serenity said with a sort of far away look in her eye. Anzu grinned recognizing a look that clearly said 'I've got a secret'. So she hung back as Yami went into to their office to start making phone calls.

"So what do you have to tell me?" Anzu asked leaning forward on the desk that separated it. Serenity returned the grin.

"Not to tell," she corrected, "show." She stood and turned her back to Anzu and both pulled up her shirt and pull her jeans down slightly. Anzu gave a little gasp at the new tiny tattoo on her hip.

"Oh Serenity,"Anzu said sucking in her breath sharply while examining the Kanji character for 'serenity' surrounded by a star. "Oh man Serenity your brother is going to kill you!" Serenity made a little 'tut' noise and clicked her tongue.

"Not if you don't tell him!" she hissed replacing her jeans on her hips. Anzu shook her head with an exasperated sigh. "Oh you are no fun Anzu."

"No, I just no that your brother will go crazy."

"He's not my father," she told her, "and I'm a big girl. I tie my own shoes and everything."

"Do me a favor though," Anzu asked and Serenity nodded. "Don't let me be around when your brother does find out. I know that he'll find some way to blame me."

"He wouldn't do that," Serenity told her and then look thoughtful. "Ok you're right. I'll make sure that you aren't around." Anzu smiled and then picked up her messages and walked into his office.

"What took you so long?" Yami asked hanging up the phone after Anzu had sat down. Anzu only shook her head. "What? What's up with Serenity?" he pressed.

"Why do you assume that it has something to do with Serenity? Maybe _I_ had something to tell her." Yami continued to give her a look.

"Ok, fine" Anzu caved. "The truth is that she's pregnant." For a moment Yami didn't say anything but just open and closed his mouth wordlessly while Anzu desperately tried to keep a straight face. Suddenly something snapped on Yami's face and he found his words again.

"Was it Duke! That Bastard!!" Yami exclaimed jumping up. "I'll kill him! How could he?"

"Yami," Anzu tried to interrupt.

"When I get my hands on him"

"Yami," Anzu said again.

"He's going to wish he never even looked at her"

"YAMI!" Anzu yelled finally getting him to stop and he looked over at her stupidly.

"What?"

"Serenity is not pregnant," Anzu said calmly watching the color on Yami's face slowly return to normal. "I am," she added as all color left his face. Yami very well have gone into shock because he looked immobile. Anzu snorted, "God you are so gullible. How the hell did you ever become a detective?" When Yami still didn't move Anzu sighed and logged onto her computer to check her mail. She didn't get very far when a hand snaked around her neck cutting of her air.

"I'm going to kill you," came Yami's dangerous whisper as Anzu brought her hands up to try and push the hands off. He instead pulled her up off her chair and let her feet dangle an inch or two of the ground.

"Yami," she barely managed to squeak out try with no avail to kick him enough to actually hurt him. Yami didn't seem to notice but seemed content enough to just let her run out of air slowly. On the verge of passing out the office door opened revealed a confused looking Serenity. Her confusion added when she took in the scene she had walked in on.

"What's up Serenity?" Yami asked calmly not moving an inch while Anzu whispered obscenities still trying to free herself of his grasp.

"Um, there's a call for Anzu on line one," she said looking between the two.

"Can you take a message?" he asked as Anzu clawed at his arm still kicking for all she was worth.

"He was really insistent about talking to her. I think she should take it. Besides," she smiled, "he sounds really cute."

"Who is it?" Yami asked.

"Malik Ishtar? Did I say that right?" she asked looking between the two shocked detectives. Anzu had stopped kicking and looked at her in disbelief. A moment later Yami dropped her and being unprepared fell to the floor hard. She scrambled back up quickly and looked at her phone that was blinking that she had a call waiting for her. Seeing Yami move out of the corner of her eye she dove for the phone to beat him to it.

"Hello," she said quickly.

"Is this Anzu Gardner?" asked a perturbed voice on the other end.

"Yes it is," Anzu looked up and mouthed thank you to Serenity and then tried to literally kick Yami out but he seemed to not get the message. "What can I do for you Mr. Ishtar?" She glared at Yami who had taken a seat on her desk.

"I just wanted to ask one more time if you would drop the case," he said bluntly.

"Nothing has changed since last week Mr. Ishtar. This is still your sister's case and I'm working for her. Until she asks me to stop looking into it I won't." She heard him sigh on the other end.

"And there's nothing I can do to convince you otherwise?" Anzu blinked in surprise. Was this really the same man who had practically broken into her office a week ago and straight faced threatened her to stay out of his business. And now here he was talking to her like a normal human being speaking both calmly and rationally.

"What can I do for you Mr. Ishtar? It is obvious that I am not going to be dropping the case any time soon. There must be something productive you can do with your time and therefore allow me to the same."

"Worth a shot right?" he responded and Anzu could almost see if smile on the other end- this both surprised and confused her. "I thought I'd give you another case to give it up willingly." Anzu stiffened.

"Is that a threat?" she whispered turning away, hoping Yami wouldn't hear but she could sense him stand up.

"God no!" he practically shouted and then for an after thought added, "would it work?" Anzu let her silence answer and he continued. "Since you won't give it up and I obviously don't want you to be poking around my business unbridled I thought that we might be able to help each other."

"Oh?" Anzu asked intrigued wondering were this was going.

"Yes, you keep me included in what is going on and let me be involved then I won't fight you or try to keep you from what you need to know. We work together." Anzu stopped and let this all sink in. This didn't make a whole lot of sense to her. Why would a man who was being charged of such a horrible crime and involved with so many high-ranking families be so unwilling for a person to try and prove his innocence? Of course she had never heard him declare his innocence or guilt. In all of her records he had not said a word about anything. And here he was offering her a truce, an alliance really. Could she get involved like this right now? His voice interrupted her thoughts. "Just know that you work with me or against me," his voice cautioned. "I can help make this really easy or very, very difficult."

"Interesting," Anzu mused more to herself then him.

"So do we have a deal?" he asked. From his stop on the desk Yami watched his half of the proceedings from in front of Anzu's desk feeling extremely agitated that he didn't know what was going on. He was about to say something when Anzu said a few parting words and then hung up.

"What," Yami asked trying to keep his temper in check, "what was that about?" The events of his first meeting with Malik still had him angry whenever he thought about it. If there was one thing that Yami prided himself on it was how he ran his business and the fact that Malik had disturbed that would leave him with a last grudge. He studied Anzu's face which was a mixture of amusement and confusion. "Anzu?" he pressed. "Anzu!" he called snapping his fingers toward her face. This seemed to snap her out of her daze. She pushed his hand away with a low growl.

"Don't do that, I hate it when you do that. Its so rude." She stood and stretched rubbing the back of her neck. "Thanks for the neck ache by the way. Its not like I _need_ help with those."

"You wanna fill me in? I thought we were in this together?" Yami practically whined. Anzu snorted thinking how much he sounded like a five year old when he did that.

"Well, I'm not sure if you're going to believe me or not but I just had a very interesting, and slightly intelligent conversation with our prime suspect." She paused for a moment thoughtfully but a look from Yami pressed her forward. "It seems that instead of fighting us in this, which he clearly intended to do originally, he wants to work with us." She looked over at him and his expression showed just what she was thinking. "I know, but he's obviously trying to cover his ass in regard to something. I think we are right in assuming that this is much more then a tiff between Madeira Barros and Malik Ishtar. Not only is he trying to cover something up but so are the Barros. They would have brought this to the media long ago for both publicity and public sympathy otherwise." By this point in time Anzu was just think aloud to herself and Yami was processing his own thoughts.

"That maybe but working with us?" Yami asked looking a little uncomfortable and worried. "I mean has anyone ever really 'worked' with us on a case before? Let alone a suspect who is the sister of our client?"

"I don't think anyone in the history of time has been faced with something like this before," Anzu sighed. "And add on to that the fact we're, well I'm, supposed to be working for the police as well just adds to the fun." She sat on her desk with her back to him looking out her little window. "And I don't even know where to start." Yami smiled sadly at her feeling her stress.

"Don't let this get you down," he counseled, "we are going to get through this fine. Remember the Donner's case?" he asked and Anzu laughed. "That stupid wild goose chase in Canada for the deed to a diamond mind that didn't even exist?"

"I was this close to going to South Africa, remember?" she asked throwing her head over her shoulder and grinning wolfishly at her.

"And then in the airport Yugi tackled that poor woman thinking it was you when she was trying to get on the plane." Both of them were laughing fairly hard by now.

"That was even before all the terrorist paranoia but they still dragged me off the plane cause they thoughts I was going to blow it up. And then the best part was you had to flirt with the head of airport security to keep all of us from going to jail." Anzu continued to laugh hard but Yami's face dropped.

"I thought we agreed to never talk about that again," he said in a low dangerous voice. Anzu laugh and hopped off of her seat on her desk.

"Oh come on," she joked, "it was your finest hour." A moment later she found herself in the same headlock she had been in moments before her phone call with Malik. So when Serenity walked in and Anzu was still sputtering and kicking like she had been when she found them she reason to say, "you two are ridiculously insane."

A man who was known only as Shadi was currently standing in front of a museum display case in Warsaw, Poland. His eyes were sweeping over the cuneiform engraved on the many vases that lined the wall and was speaking fluent Polish to the museum worker that stood next to him. Although his specialty was Egyptian history he was extremely talented in many fields. That included both modern and ancient/dead languages. He finished translating and swept quickly away from the frazzled worker who was still trying to copy everything down. She called after him to please repeat the translations again but his steps had already taken him away from her.

He descended the steps of the museum into the city's busy streets pulling from his jacket pockets a cell phone that double as everything from a laptop to a GPS locator and beyond. (AN: this story obviously does not retain much, if anything, from the original story line. Therefore, while Shadi will still maintain his mystery and odd ways. But he will also be a bit more modern. For example in this scene Shadi will be in a business suit and using a…well I can't remember what they are called but want one- but one of those do it all phones- just wanted to explain some things a bit.) He punched a few buttons on the keypad as he walked and the screen lit up. He moved swiftly through the streets as he entered his stored messages and read the two new ones he had. The first one was of no real concern to him but the second intrigued him.

He read the three-line message once, twice, and a third time committing it to memory before deleting it. He stopped and hailed a cab and allowed himself to laugh at the irony of the whole situation. The first message had been a reprimand from one Anzu Gardner, berating him for handing her name out to Isis Ishtar. The second message was from a person he never expected to hear from again. The man was powerful and liked to use his power quietly. That's probably what made him so dangerous- he did nearly everything in silence and therefore the people around him were silent spreading his web of power. And although he hadn't asked for her directly, it was clear enough that he was looking for her, Anzu Mazaki. Yes, Mazaki. The girl Anzu used to be when she lived in Japan, a person totally different from Anzu Gardner. And after all these years he was looking for her again. Seto Kaiba and Anzu Gardner- he had to be around for this reunion.

I'm pretty sure most people have figured out where this story is going but if not… well then I'm not sure I should be proud for keeping it a secret or not! Anyway its been nearly a year since I updated this story (I am so bad) but I hope that I still have some readers. If not I hope that I can attract you all back and maybe get some new readers along the way!! But anyway, happy belated Thanksgiving for all of you in the US and pre-Happy Holidays to all of us. Be seeing you soon with a new chapter of 'Thinking Over' and another of 'You Wish'. Sorry this one is kinda short but I wanted to get it out and not give too much away. Peace! Love yea all

-Star


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